Lubricating apparatus



ril-14, 1953 d. n. NORTH 2,6 ,8

LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed 001;. 19, 1949 2 swims-5mm 1 /:S' 4-6 47 a 1 45 v lil lll

I I 1 I I 1 I I I I I I r I I I In ventor Ja /W M Mar/v By v April 1953 J. M. NORTH 2,634,885

LUBR'ICATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 19, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 FIG,2. 45

I n ventar Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to lubricating apparatus, and more particularly to a portable power operated pumping assembly adapted to be attached to a lubricant container for forcing the lubricant from the container under the desired pressure to a lubricant gun or suitable discharge point. It has been a problem, particularly in remote areas, such as farms and the like, to grease or lubricate farm machinery where there is no source of air pressure. Consequently, the machinery has been lubricated by hand operated grease guns which, of course, requires that the gun be placed upon each fitting and then manually operated to force the grease into the fitting.

Manifestly, this is a very laborious task which is not only time-consuming but also is quite expensive. While certain power operating equipment has been proposed for solving the problem, such equipment has not been entirely satisfactory, since these units have been rather complex in structural detail, which makes the cost of manufacture comparatively high and, in addition, the power plant operates continuously, the lubricant being by-passed when the gun is not actually supplying lubricant to the fitting or bearing. This places a considerable drain on the battery or source of electrical energy employed for driving the motor, which also is most undesirable.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide a portable motor driven unit for pumping or forcing the lubricant from the container to the nozzle or gun, wherein means are provided to render the motor inactive when the gun or nozzle is not in use, thereby conserving the energy employed for driving the motor.

Another object is to provide a lubricating apparatus wherein the weight of the motor and its drive connection to the pumping assembly is centrally balanced with respect to the lubricant container, thus making the unit easy to transport and operate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lubricating apparatus of the character described wherein a pressure operated switch is interposed in the conduit between the pumping means and the gun and operatively connected with the motor, whereby the switch will break the motor circuit when the conduit is filled with lubricant and will restore the circuit when pressure is released by actuating the gun to initiate the pump action.

And yet another object of the invention is to provide a portable lubricating apparatus of the character described which is relatively simple in constructional detail, positive and efiicient in operation, and capable of being easily and inexpensively manufactured.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which:

Figure l is an elevational view, partly in section, showing the lubricant dispensing means in position within a lubricant container.

Figure 2 is a fragmental vertical sectional view of the pumping unit and check valve assembly.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the electrical circuit, and

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1, the view looking in the direction of the arrows.

With reference to Figure 1, I have indicated a lubricant container IU of conventional type, which may be of to pounds capacity, a 6 volt electric motor is adapted to be supported by the top of the container, a pump unit l2 located within the container is operatively connected with the motor H by a drive connection [3, a pressure operated switch 14 is interposed in conduit l5 between the pump 12 and a gun ornozzle I6, and an electrical connection I! is adapted to be attached to a 6 volt battery for supplyin energy for operating the motor I l.

The motor II is suitably bolted to cover I for the container I0 and it can be seen that the motor is centrally located with respect to the container, thus providing proper balance for the assembly. The cover l8 may be attached to the cgntainer by nut and bolt assemblies or the like The motor drive shaft 20 is coupled, as indicated at 2|, to drive shaft 22 of the pump, indicated generally l2. The lower end of the drive shaft 22 is journaled in bearing 23 provided in base 24 of the pump, and a supporting sleeve 25 for holding the pump I2 in proper relation with respect to the motor surrounds the shafts 20 and 22, and the lower end thereof may be bolted to the base 24, as indicated at 26. The sleeve 25 may be replaced by strap braces suitably connected to the base and cover plate 18.

A housing 2! is carried by the upper face of the base 24 and is formed with a horizontally extending cylinder 28 therein, in which a piston or plunger 29 is mounted for longitudinal reciprocatory movement. The plunger or piston 29 has a rod 3|] of reduced diameter which terminates in a head 3|, and a helical spring 32 surrounds the rod with one end bearing against the head while the opposite end bears against the base of recess 33 formed in the housing 21.

The housing 21 is provided with an inlet port 34 extending upwardly from the lower wall thereof and merging with the cylinder 28. A filter screen 35 surrounds the housing to prevent any foreign matter from entering the cylinder, and the screen may be attached to the housing in any convenient manner. A check valve body 36 is threaded into a tapped opening .31 in the upper wall of the housing 21, and a ball 38 is maintained against its seat by a helical spring 39 disposed within the body. A bleed orifice 40 is formed .in the end wall of the housing 2'! and 'a screwAl is lodged in a threaded aperture in .as the cam rotates, the plunger will reciprocate in .opposite directions, thereby creating the necessary pump action for the lubricant.

A coupling 44 is threaded into the upper end of the valve body 36 in order to secure an outlet tube 45 to the pump assembly l2. The opposite end of the tube 45 is connected to pressure operated electric switch denoted generally [4. The unit l4 includes a body 46 which, in efiect, is a four-way coupling. The tube 45 is connected to one of the outlets, as indicated at 41, a high pressure gauge 48 is connected to another outlet, automatic electric shut-off switch .49 of conventional design is connected with the outlet diametrically opposed to the connection 41, and one end of the conduit I is secured to the other outlet, as indicated at 50. It should be mentioned that the switch 49 may be set for any pressure desired from 500 to 7500 pounds which, of course, should take care of any lubrieating problems which should arise.

The electrical connection I! includes leads 5| and 52 and each lead is provided with a clip 53 adapted to be detachably connected to the posts of a 6 volt battery, depending upon the particular equipment which is being employed for the source of power. 'The opposite end of lead 5| is attached to ground post 54 on the motor casing, while lead 52 is attached to a solenoid switch 55 of suitable type, as indicated at 56, and the switch may be secured in any convenient manner to the motor housing. Lead 51 of the switch 55 is connected to field post 58 of the motor H, while lead 59 extends from the switch 55 and'is connected to the pressure operatedswitch 49, as shown at 60.

While the operation of the unit is believed to be fully apparent from the foregoing, it may be summarized as follows:

Assuming that the motor II and the pump 12 have been installed "in proper relation with respect to the container and the cover l8 bolted thereto,the clips 53 are attached to the battery. The pressure operated switch is, of course, set for the desired pressure and actuation of the motor will cause the cam 44 to reciprocate the plunger 29 in opposite directions to force the lubricant from the cylinder 28 through the check valve 36, tubing 45, coupling 45, connection 50, conduit l 5 and thence to the gun l6. As soon as the line between the pump and the gun is filled with lubricant, the lubricant will be forced into the pressure operated switch 49 which will, of course, break the circuit to the motor I I, thereby stopping the drain on the battery. The operator then applies the gun It to the desired fitting and by operating the control handle the lubricant will pass into the fitting, thus releasing the pressure, which means that the switch 49 will again close the circuit to the motor, whereupon the pump l2 will again force lubricant into the conduit to the gun, and when the pressure has been restored, the switch 49 will out 01f the circuit, thus stopping the motor until the pressure is released by further operation of the gun Hi.

It will be appreciated from the above description that I have provided a portable properly balanced motor driven pumping unit for lubricant containers which will effectively lubricate machinery in areas where a source of air pressure is not available. By virtue of the direct drive and the 6 volt motor, the unit may be employed in situations where 110 volt current is not available, and the pressure operated electric switch 49 will break the motor circuit as soon as the conduit between the pump and the nozzle is charged with lubricant. This arrangement is particularly efficacious in that it not only prevents an excessive drain on the battery or source of electrical energy but likewise will increase the life of the motor per se.

The invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity with the showing in the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable lubricating apparatus comprising a lubricant container, a top member therefor, a prime mover carried by the top member, a bearing block positioned on the bottom of the container, a vertical driveshaft connected at its upper end to the prime mover and having its lower end journalled in the bearing block, means associated with the bearing block and the top member to prevent displacement of the bearing block, a horizontal pump cylinder secured to the upper surface of the said block with its axis generally radial to said shaft, said cylinder projecting beyond the edge of said block .so-that the projecting portion thereof is in spaced relation to the said bottom of the container, said last portion having an inlet port and an outlet port, said inlet port extending downwardly from the bore of the cylinder and opening through the wall of the cylinder at a point beside said block, a piston in the bore of the cylinder having a piston rod extending toward the shaft, spring means biasing the piston toward the shaft, a cam on the shaft effective upon ro tation of the shaft through activation of the prime mover to reciprocate the piston thereby to force lubricant through said cylinder from the inlet port to said outlet port, a check valve asin and. characterized by claim 1 wherein said discharge conduit includes a valved discharge means at the end outside the said container and a pressure-responsive device in the conduit controlling means to automatically disable the prime mover whenever the pressure in the conduit reaches a predetermined maximum value.

3. A portable lubricating apparatus as defined in and characterized by claim 1 wherein a sleeve surrounds the vertical drive shaft and extends from the top member to the bearing block and constitutes the means to prevent displacement of the bearing block, the said sleeve having an opening therein through which the piston rod projects to contact the cam on the drive shaft.

JOSEPH M. NORTH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Butler May 31, 1932 Barks Mar. 21, 1933 Hartman Jan. 16, 1934 Creveling Oct. 2, 1934 Davis Feb. 9, 1937 Smith July 15, 1941 

